Manu issues warning on election

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
BOUGAINVILLE Electoral Commissioner George Manu is warning Bougainvilleans not to interfere with the conduct of the fourth Autonomous Bougainville Elections.
“This is a crucial election where the new government will be in dialogue with the national government over the referendum results,” Manu said.
“So we have to be careful of what we post on Facebook on the conduct of the elections.”
Manu made the comments yesterday in response to a picture of a ballot box lid found floating in Pinei River, Central Bougainville, was circulated on Facebook.
“This photo is unnecessarily generating negative comments on the election operations.
“The truth is such thing did not happen in the election because all the ballot boxes have been transported by the police,” he said.
“Also the transportation of these ballot boxes were accompanied by scrutineers of all the candidates for the presidents, constituencies, ex-combatants and women’s seats.”
Manu described the picture as a prank and said he would ask Bougainville Police Commander Deputy Commissioner Francis Tokura to investigate the matter.
He confirmed that his office had not received any reports of damaged or broken or missing ballot box lids.
Meanwhile, Manu said polling officially closed on Monday and all the ballot boxes for the respective constituencies, ex-combatant and women’s seats had been transported to Buka for North Bougainville, Arawa (Central Bougainville) and Buin (South Bougainville).
All ballot boxes had been secured at the police stations in these towns. The presidential ballot boxes had been transported to Buka. Counting is scheduled to begin next Wednesday (Sept 2).